Thursday, May 26, 2011

Michael Mariotte, NIRS, Update on Radiation from Fukushima:Understanding What Meltdown is as Applied to Japan Leak

Produced by, Dori SmithTRT:28:58 Music fades long, 40:00 and also at midway point in the program we feature a 1:14 sec. clip of Courtney Dowe's, Radiation Blues. Download at Pacifica's Audioport here or at Radio4all.net and Archive.org

We’re continuing to update the situation in Japan at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant where Japan Electric now admits that 35% to 50% of the fuel had melted down at three reactors as of weeks ago. Michael Mariotte of NIRS, the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, joins us with an update. NIRS is urging people to sign their petition and contact their representatives to try to once again block the $36 billion in loan guarantees for nuclear development offered by the White House. See this PDF as well as this pdf. NIRS offers health information on the after effects of Chernobyl here as reference material for those concerned about the impact of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

At their web site NIRS.org there are continual updates including one May 20th (and 26th) explaining that more is known at this point about the meltdown at Plant 1, the Mox fuel plant that leaked Plutonium in addition to other radioactive particles. As had been reported to us earlier by nuclear expert Dr. Arjun Mahijiani, there was damage to Unit 1 from the earthquake even before the devastating tsunami. We had discussed the crack leading to the plant and you can find that interview and others at www.talknationradio.org.